In professional cycling there’s a great deal of structure, with domestiques assigned to fetch water bottles and act as a wind break, to ensure that the team leader has the best chance of success. The assistance expected  includes dropping back  to offer support, sacrificing the chance  of personal glory and giving up one’s bicycle mid-race to a more  highly rated rider. Everyone recognises that the team’s ultimate success (prize money, exposure for sponsors, endorsements) is based upon giving the team leader the best chance of winning.

Yet all too frequently in professional firms the senior team members saddle themselves with work which should be performed by others. It’s hard to be feeling dynamic and at the top of your game if you have a big “to-do” list of things you should be asking others to do!

Interestingly, poor self esteem is often reflected in a failure to train team members. If your ego requires that only you should do a certain activity, then guess what? You are destined to do this task forever.